A
Brief
Account
of
Captain
WILLIAM
GOVAN
,
His
last
Speech
and
Prayers
,
with
a
Miraculous
Instance
after
his
Death
,
Concerning
the
Bleeding
of
his
Head
.
IN
the
Year
1661
,
the
now
Deceast
Earl
of
Midletoun
,
and
Chancelour
Cunningham
and
others
,
who
then
had
the
Government
among
their
Hands
,
thinking
to
Ingratiat
themselves
in
the
Kings
favours
by
Bloody
Expiations
;
Several
innocent
Persons
suffered
by
their
cruelty
,
and
particularly
one
Captain
Govan
then
designed
of
Kirktounholme
he
and
Mr.
James
Guthrie
a
Minister
,
were
Execute
at
the
Cross
of
Edinburgh
both
in
one
day
.
And
it
is
recent
in
the
Hearts
&
Minds
of
many
Honest
Hearted
Christians
yet
Living
how
it
was
the
common
Talk
then
,
of
that
Cruel
Persecuting
party
,
that
there
were
a
necessity
for
some
of
every
one
of
thir
three
Stations
and
Qualities
following
to
die
,
Viz.
of
the
Nobility
,
Gentry
and
Clergy
,
Argile
he
behoved
to
die
for
the
Nobility
,
Captain
Govean
and
Swintoun
of
That
Ilk
,
if
he
had
not
happily
made
his
escape
,
for
the
Gentry
,
and
Mr.
James
Guthrie
for
the
Ministry
.
And
it
is
very
well
Remembred
by
many
,
how
that
Captain
Govan
when
he
was
upon
the
Ladder
Speaking
his
last
Words
to
the
World
,
he
Prayed
Heartily
for
the
King
,
and
for
the
Church
of
Scotland
,
and
that
his
Blood
might
not
be
on
the
Nation
,
nor
on
the
City
,
and
that
GOD
might
preserve
his
Church
and
Hedge
and
Fence
in
his
Vine
Yard
,
from
the
Crafty
Foxes
and
Distroying
Boars
of
the
Forrest
,
moreover
he
told
the
Spectators
how
that
Midletoun
and
he
had
been
fellow
Souldiers
,
and
that
many
a
time
both
of
them
had
equally
Hazarded
their
Lives
in
the
King's
service
,
though
now
unequally
Rewarded
,
the
one
with
a
Throne
,
being
the
Kings
High
Commissioner
,
and
the
other
with
a
Rope
,
and
Condemned
to
die
an
Ignominious
Death
.
Yet
You
may
tell
Midletoun
said
he
to
the
Spectators
,
that
I
will
not
(
though
it
were
in
my
offer
)
change
my
Rope
for
his
Throne
for
I
hope
in
GOD
through
the
Merits
of
my
Redeemer
,
to
be
in
a
better
State
within
a
few
Minutes
.
Nor
was
it
any
Fable
,
that
there
fell
some
Drops
of
Blood
from
his
Head
upon
Chancelour
Cunningham's
Coach
,
who
was
the
main
Instrument
of
taking
away
his
Life
,
which
never
could
be
Wip'd
out
,
till
they
were
forced
to
out
away
the
Looder
,
Blood
and
all
where
it
fell
on
.
And
these
dropes
of
Blood
,
Droped
from
his
Head
or
rather
the
Dry
Bones
,
after
the
Head
had
been
Bon'd
,
Oil'd
,
Dry'd
and
Parched
with
the
Heat
of
the
Sun
,
Wind
and
Weather
a
long
time
.
It
is
also
to
be
Noted
,
that
a
great
Deal
of
what
he
Prophesied
hath
already
perfectly
come
to
pass
,
as
also
those
last
Words
and
Prophesies
of
others
who
suffered
for
the
same
Cause
,
which
he
did
,
are
now
very
much
Accomplished
,
and
part
of
them
are
yet
to
be
Accomplished
.
Reverend
Sir
please
Remember
Capton
Govans
Daughters
〈◊〉
to
the
Reverend
Presbyterie
of
Edinburgh